Sensormetrix launches plug-and-play monitoring

Sensormetrix has launched a range of easy to use monitoring systems that can keep tabs on multiple variables inside server rooms and data centres.

Sensormetrix offers remote monitoring and wireless sensor technology for use in anything from restaurants, building management, goods transportation, and drugs storage. Its Poseidon family range of monitoring solutions allows the IT department to effective monitor its server rooms and data centres.

The importance of monitoring solutions was highlighted recently when a number of servers in a data centre in London crashed after a cooling failure resulted in the internal temperature within the centre soaring to an estimated 50°C from its usual to 25°C.

"Too much heat will shorten the life span of the equipment, which could spell disaster for the data stored on each server. With the weather warming up in Britain, temperature monitoring needs to be observed 24/7," said Nick Lidington, MD at Sensormetrix, in a statement.

"Having a monitoring system in place will alert you to any initial problems," he added. The majority of companies don't pay attention until they experience a major problem and it is too late."

"The main issue with our systems is that they are plug-and-play," said product manager Zorik Danelian. "To set it up even I can do it, and I am not technical. You don't need to be an IT expert to make it work."

Up to 31 sensors can be connected ,Danelian told Techworld. It also has alerts (either email or SMS, or both), and can measure many different variables such as temperature, airflow, flooding, humidity, door (open/close), power (on/off) or any combination thereof.

"It can also be used to keep a data log, in case people want to check out historical data," he said. "For example, if a server fails, the user can check the log to see if any stress points occurred to find why it failed."

Danelian said that sometimes other monitoring solutions could not be combined with different types of sensors, which could lead to blind spots in the overall monitoring process. "For example, the temperature might be fine, but the room could be flooding for all you know," he said.

"Our systems are designed to be used via the internet," Danelian said. "You can be anywhere, monitoring your infrastructure, whether it is a server room or your house."

Different types of sensors can be hard wired to a router sized Sensormetrix box, which in turn is connected to a PC or workstation via an Ethernet cable. It comes with its own software that allows the user to configure their own individual parameters. For example, alerts can be triggered if the temperature exceeds 30°C or drops below 3°C. It can also be configured to update every five or ten seconds, depending on preference.

The entry level system costs roughly £250 ($412) and can connect up to six sensors (temperature and humidity only) and send out email alerts (no SMS alerts). The price increases for the higher spec'ed systems.